Rania
Indian restaurant · Downtown
427 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20004
Highlights
Inventive Indian cuisine in an opulent setting; cocktails are theatrical.
Inventive Indian cuisine in an opulent setting; cocktails are theatrical.
"The opulent Penn Quarter space that formerly housed Punjab Grill reopened in 2022 as a luxe new Indian restaurant that holds a Michelin star. Rania, which means “Queen” in Hindi and Sanskrit, offers a multi-course dinner of inventive Indian cuisine goes way beyond the expected (as in dishes like aged duck breast vindaloo or lamb shank accented with black cardamon). Its four-course menu ($90) joins theatrical cocktails and bites at its dazzling Sundowner Bar. The ‘Sheesh Mahal’ — a palace-of-mirrors private dining room hidden to the side — is a prime place to splurge." - Tierney Plumb
"Pick Rania for a dinner date and you'll make it clear you know what you're doing. The lights are low, Indian jazz music plays, the food is special enough to talk about for months after the meal—and it won't feel overpriced. The $90 prix fixe menu changes seasonally, and highlights include a textural pork loin vindaloo with pieces of crispy, fatty belly, or spicy shrimp koliwada with a sweet pepper chutney you'll want to scrape up every last morsel of." - mekita rivas, tristiana hinton, madeline weinfield
"Ultra-luxurious Punjabi Grill turned into Rania in 2022, with the elevated Indian spot earning its Michelin star only a year later. Chef Chetan Shetty’s four-course pre fixe ($90), three course brunch ($55), and chef’s tasting menu ($175) showcase inventive Indian cuisine that goes way beyond the expected. Entrees include homemade paneer accented by spring peas and pecorino or beef short ribs with saffron nihari, charred broccoli rabe, and pickled mustard. Brunch includes some of the same dishes, along with reinvented breakfast dishes, like a lamb shoulder masala eggs Benedict. For dinner, diners can also add on cocktails or wine pairings ($65 for the prix fixe, $125 for the tasting menu) with April Busch — previously of NYC’s two-Michelin star restaurant Atera — leading the wine program." - Emily Venezky
"Rania in Washington, D.C., is mentioned as another prominent Indian restaurant that includes beef offerings." - Ashok Selvam
"Choosing Rania for date night will make you look like you know your stuff. The lights are low, Indian jazz music plays, the food is special enough to talk about for months after the meal—and it won't feel overpriced. The $90 pre-fixe menu rotates seasonally, with dishes like a creamy pork loin vindaloo with pieces of crunchy belly, or spicy shrimp koliwada with sweet pepper chutney we scrape up until it’s gone." - tristiana hinton
